


The Rules

by secondalto



Category: Stargate Atlantis
Genre: Challenge Response, Episode Related, Friendship, M/M, McShep Match Challenge 2011, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-09-24
Updated: 2011-09-24
Packaged: 2017-10-24 04:19:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,784
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/258933
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/secondalto/pseuds/secondalto
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Since when has John ever followed rules?</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Rules

**Author's Note:**

> Written for [](http://mcshep-match.livejournal.com/profile)[**mcshep_match**](http://mcshep-match.livejournal.com/) 2011, Team Sheppard, prompt “by the book”. Wish many, many thanks to[](http://kisahawklin.livejournal.com/profile)[](http://kisahawklin.livejournal.com/) **kisahawklin** for molding this into the fic you see here.

[](http://pics.livejournal.com/secondalto/pic/0009dcep/)   


  
John was packing his stuff up when he came across the book, _The Rules_. He frowned before he remembered where he had picked it up.

Just after academy graduation, a bunch of his so-called friends had presented it to him as a gag gift.

“Come on, Shep,” Bradford had said. “You need to get out there, find someone.”

“It’s for women.”

Bradford had laughed. “You never know, all’s fair in love and war, Shep.”

John had packed it away and forgotten all about it. He hadn’t needed a book to land Nancy. Since that had ended badly maybe it would be a good idea to at least glance through the book once. Not that he’d probably follow any of it. John tossed the book into his pack. He’d need something to pass the time other than War and Peace.  It might be good for a laugh.

                                                                *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

**Be a creature unlike any other.**

John certainly stood out from everyone else on the expedition. He hadn’t been chosen for it, hadn’t prepared for it, but he was good at flying by the seat of his pants. After all the initial hubbub of getting to Atlantis and encountering the Wraith, he was surprised when McKay came to him. He was also surprised by the request.

“I want you to help me test something,” McKay said, striding into John’s office without a knock or even a hello.

“Something else you want me to turn on, McKay?” he sighed, pushing aside the supply list he was trying to organize.

“Not exactly,” McKay had said, explaining about the small green object currently resting in his hand.

“And you came to me….?”

“Because I thought you’d say yes, Major.”

“What makes you think that, Doctor?”

McKay rolled his eyes. “Look, it’s obvious you aren’t the typical military type. I’ve had it up to here with Colonels and Generals and others saying I can’t do things without proper procedures in place. Just because we don’t know what everything here does doesn’t mean we shouldn’t find out. I thought you might be different.”

McKay started to leave when John spoke up. “I’ll do it.”

McKay favored him with a smile. “Great, so I’ll just put it on,” he attached the thing to his chest and was suddenly surrounded by a green glow that quickly faded.

“Whoa,” John said. “So what do you want me to do?”

“Hit me.”

John shrugged and gently pushed at McKay with his hand.

“Harder than that, Major, give me your best shot.”

“Are you sure?”

“Just hit me already.”

John nodded, pulled his arm back while making a fist and rammed it straight at McKay. His fist hit…something and it hurt like fuck. McKay was grinning like an idiot and bouncing just a little. John was just shaking his fist and trying not to swear out loud. Then he looked at McKay with a grin.

“Now what?”

That’s how he ended up both shooting McKay and pushing him off a balcony. It was the start to a beautiful friendship.

                                                ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

**Show up to parties, dances and social events even if you do not feel like it.**

Atlanteans, as a rule, didn’t need an excuse to throw a party. That first year they partied for many reasons. John attended at first because he was the ranking military officer and it was only fitting that he made an appearance, made nice with his people and the civilians alike. He hated parties as a rule, too many people getting drunk or trying to make him drunk, awkward conversations and well…women. He liked women, he just didn’t like trying to talk them into going out with him.

At one party, he had started up a conversation with McKay and that was a turning point. They would gravitate towards each other, finding more and more common interests. John began to look forward to the parties so he could argue the finer points of Batman versus Superman with McKay. Well that and other superhero talk.

“Major, have you come to be proven wrong again?” McKay asked.

“How many times have I told you to call me John?”

McKay just stared at him. “Anyway, Major, if you’d like to continue our discussion from last time…,” Rodney said, starting in on why Batman was a better superhero.

John was really going to have to find ways to meet McKay somewhere other than a party. He loved the back and forth they’d developed, the easy way they’d slipped into this friendship.

“So, he’s got the Batmobile,” McKay said, interrupting John’s thoughts.

“But Superman can fly, that trumps Batmobile any day,” John interjected.

“But he doesn’t have any cool gadgets. Bruce Wayne has gadgets.”

“Super speed, super strength, x-ray vision, heat vision, super breath, super hearing,” John ticked off on his fingers.

“Kryptonite.”

“Ordinary human.”

They’d continued on like that for the rest of the party. John was going to be looking for excused to meet up with McKay again. Next time it was going to be Spidey versus Aquaman.

                                *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

**Buyer beware – observe his behavior so you do not end up with Mr. Wrong.**

Meredith Rodney McKay was one obstinate, blockheaded son of a bitch.

Yet John still hung around him. There were days he wasn’t exactly sure why. But he liked Rodney. Maybe there might be something more to it than that, but whatever it was; John stuck around even when Rodney was an ass. Of course it helped that Rodney stuck by him when he was being equally stubborn and hard-assed.

 “Why are we even friends?” Rodney asked, crossing his arms over his chest.

“I ask myself that all the time,” John said, rolling his eyes.

They’d just ended another fight about trust, one they kept repeating since Doranda. It was going to take John a long time to trust Rodney again. Rodney just wanted to put it all behind them, forget it ever happened. John needed to know that Rodney was never going to put himself, or other people, in danger like that ever again.

“Look,” John said, breaking the silence. ”I just…I like you.”

“Such a way with words, Major.”

“McKay, I’m just trying to tell you that no matter what you do, you’ll always be my friend. But it’s still going to take some time before I trust you professionally.”

“Oh,” Rodney said, shoulders slumping. “You too. I mean with the friend thing. Other than Carson, you’re my best friend in this place. I think  
I’d go stir crazy if you weren’t around to argue Joker versus Riddler with.”

“Depends, are we talking Adam West Batman or nineties Batman?”

“How about both?” Rodney said with a grin.

John clapped him on the shoulder and began to formulate his arguments.

                                *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

**It’s a fantasy relationship unless a man asks you out.**

John was standing shoulder to shoulder with Rodney, looking out over San Francisco bay.

“So how was my landing this time?” John asked.

“Better, still not quite a kiss, but better,” Rodney said.

John bumped Rodney’s shoulder. Rodney smiled and bumped him back. “Got any plans now we’re back on Earth?

“Other than the million debriefings we’ll have to attend?”

“Other than those,” John chuckled.

“I was thinking maybe dinner, go to a museum. I hear San Francisco has a lot of culture to take in.”

“Going solo, or got a date in mind?”

Rodney turned to face him. “I was thinking you might come with me.”

“Huh?”

“Look, John, we’ve been basically dancing around this for a while. We’re best friends, but there’s something more there.”

“Rodney, I….”

Rodney waved a hand at him. “Oh spare me the American military spiel. You and I both know that it’s just a matter of time before that stupid rule is repealed. Canadian here, we’ve had gay marriage since 2005. You could always retire, become a civilian consultant or something.”

“Marriage? Rodney I think that’s going a little fast. How about that date first?”

“Sure, know any good museums?”

“There’s a cartoon museum here in town.”

“Perfect,” Rodney said, leaning against John. They stayed that way for a long time.

                                                *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

**Close the deal – Rules women do not date men for more than two years.**

It was a clear October day when Rodney and John stepped through the gate. It had been just over two years since they’d last been on Earth and it had taken that long for them both to get time off. They bypassed all the other activity and headed straight for the elevator to the surface.

“Oh, thank goodness that’s all over,” Rodney said, slumping against the back of the elevator. “I can’t wait to get to our hotel and have my way with you.”

John smirked. “I have other plans for us.”

“As long as it involves a good mattress, plenty of food and you, I don’t care.”

“Just remember you said that,” John said.

John had arranged for a car and he drove Rodney to  a small private airport. There was a plane waiting for them.

“I’m guessing you’re flying that rattrap.”

“It’s brand new, and it’s mine,” John said. “It will get us where we need to go. But first you have to put on the blindfold.”

Rodney almost protested, but knew John wouldn’t give anything away until he put the blindfold on. After a few hours, they landed. John helped Rodney out and to the waiting limo. He gently removed the blindfold.

“I don’t even get to see where we are?” Rodney asked.

“When we get to where we’re going,” John said.

“Then I guess that’s why the windows are tinted.”

“And controlled by the driver, so no peaking.”

“This had better be good.”

When they finally came to a stop, John got out first. He held out a hand for Rodney, waiting to see his expression. Rodney stepped out into the sun, blinking to adjust his eyes.

“This is my favorite church,” he finally said. “You remembered that?”

“I remember everything you say, Rodney.”

“Why are we here?”

“Well, I was kind of hoping we’d get married. You did give me a ring after all.”

Rodney had presented it to him after the “stupid rule” had been repealed earlier in the year.

“I have nothing to wear.”

“There are suits inside. So are Jeannie and Madison.”

“This is….John, you arranged out wedding. Why didn’t I think of this? What about a liscense? And rings? Our friends, I want our friends here.”

John pulled Rodney to him and kissed him quiet.  Rodney melted into the kiss. “Everything’s in place, Rodney. We just have to step through those doors.”

Rodney grinned. “Well, then let’s go get married.” He grabbed John’s hand and led him towards the church.

  



End file.
